Glassware-annealing leer



July 29, 1930. A. N. CRAMER GLASSWARE ANNEALING LEER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 11 1928 July 29, 1930. A. N. cRAMER GLASSWARE ANNEALING LEER 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed May 11, 1928 Patented July 29, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Y ALBERT 1v. CRAMER, or TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T OWENS-ILLINOIS ems: com

rm, or TOLEDO, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO 'A further object is to provide means GLASSWARE-ANNEALING LEER Application. filed May -11,

The present invention relates to improvements in glassware annealing leers and more especially that type in which ware is carried through an annealing chamber in which itvis desired to obtain a certain temperature gradient predetermined by the type of ware to be annealed.

In the usual leer of the type above referre to, the leer roofis spaced above the ware conveyor a suficient distance to accommodate Ware ofmairimum height. With leers of this type,.the annealing of small ware involves a considerable waste of heat and not infrequently comparatively poor annealing of the ware. In this connection, it is obvious that the most effective heating medium in the heating zone rises quite rapidly to the upper areas of the annealing chamber to a plane considerably above that occupied by relatively small ware. Accordingly, the ware may be insufficiently heated in the heating zone at the front end of the "leer, or. if sufficiently heated, has involved consumption of an excessive volume of fuel.

v According to the present invention, there is provided means whereby the most effective portions of the heating medium in the heating zone may be held in the areas occupied by the ware, regardlessof its height, to thereby insure proper heating of the ware. To

this'end, a partition is disposed horizontally in the annealing chamber in proximity to the upper ends of the ware being annealed to prevent rapid rise of the annealing medium to a plane in whichit will not affect the ware.

Another object is to provide an annealing leer with means whereby the heating of a great space above the ware being annealed is obviated, with the result that fuel consumption is materially decreased.

obtaining the above results and so arrange said means that manual adjustment thereof is readily obtainable to meet the'demands of different t es of ware being annealed.

Other 0 ects will be apparent hereinafter. In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a leer embodyin my invention. Fig. 2-is a fragmentary side elevation in in elevation.

for

1928. Serial No. 276,8341

view with parts in section, illustrating the mode of operation and adjustment of the invention.-' I

Fig. 4iS a detail sectional view with parts Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a part of the adjusting mechan1sm.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of a slightly modified form of partition.

In the drawings, the leer is shown as comprising a tunnel including a stationary roof 10' connecting the upper edges of side walls 11. These walls and roof are held in assem bled relation by a suitable framework 12 (Fig. 1) The tunnel may be su ported above the floor on pillars 13 or the lifie, which, according to the present disclosure, carry rolls 14 over which the lower reach 15 of the ware conveyor 16 runs. This conveyor 16 is trained over suitable rolls 17 at the front end of the leer and extends rearwardly through the tunnel 18 wherein the ware is arrangedwhile be-.

ing annealed. Suitable driving means (not shown) imparts continuous or intermittent movement to the conveyor 16 for conveying the ware through the leer. The ware supporting reach of the conveyor moves in a fixed horizontal plane over a floor 19 (Fig. 4) A vertically adjustable partition 20 is arranged in the annealing chamber above the ware conveyor 16 and is suspended from a longitudinal series of transverse rock-shafts 21 b rock arms 22 (Figs. 3 and 4). This partition 20 is of a length substantially corresponding to the, zones in which the ware is initially heated and cooled beyond the critical point, the reasons for which will be apparent presently. Obviously, thelength may be varied as circumstances demand.

The partition, according to the present disclosure, comprises a series of angle iron bars 25 extending longitudinally of the leer and connected together at their ends bytransverse angle iron bars 26, the'latter being riveted The vertical flange of this transverse bar 26 is connected through hinges 27 to an end plate or wall 29 which is secured to the rock shaft and rock arms and closes the space defined by said shaft and arms. Metal plates 30 are riveted or otherwise fixed to the under side of the horizontal flanges of the angle iron frame members 25 and extend to points in proximity to the side walls 11 of the leer.

The partitioncarries along its side edges means to seal the spacebetween the partition and side walls of the leer. As shown, this means comprises flexible strips 31 of non-inj flammable material such as, for example, asbestos. These strips have wiping engagement with the inner faces of the leer side walls 11, permitting free vertical movement of the partition when necessary and preventing passage of the annealing medium u wardly into the space above said partition. ealing strips 32 are secured to the outer edges-ofthe rock arms 22 whereby the spaces between the rock arms and side walls of the leer are closed to rock arms 22 are employed, the number of pairs obviously being determined by the length of the partition to be supported. A transverse sheet or partition plate 29 connects each pair of rock arms 22 so that the space above the horizontal partition is divided into several independent chambers.

The transverse rock shafts 21 are ournalled in bearings 35 in the side walls 11 of the leer and corresponding ends of these shafts extend outwardly beyond one side wall and have fixed thereto depending rock arms 36 which are pivoted at their lower ends to a connector rod 37 (Figs. 1 and 3). The length of the connector rod 37 and the spaced relation between the lower ends of the rock arms 36 are variable by means of turn buckles 38 located between each pair of rock arms 36. One of the arms 36, preferably the one adjacent the operating mechanism to be described, is provided with a pointer 39 which cooperates with graduations 40 to indicate the elevation of the partition. Thus, the partition may be accurately set as required by the particular type of ware being annealed.

The partition adjusting mechanism (Figs. 2 and 5), according to the present disclosure, comprises a'rod 41 connected through a compensating link 42 to the pointer carrying rock arm 36, said rod having its free end portion screw threaded and extending through a housing 43 enclosing a worm gear 44 which is threaded on said rod 41. 'A worm 45 (Fig. 5) is enclosedin the housing 43 and has driving engagement with .said worm gear 44. A manually rotatable hand wheel 46 is fixed to one end of a shaft 47 which carries the worm 45. By rotating the hand wheel 46, the rod 41 will be moved longitudinally to either raise or lower the partition relative to the ware conveyor 16. The housing 43 is formed with an extension 48 on one side, said extension being pivoted to a transverse hinge pin 49 in a bracket 50. Thus, with variations in the angular positions of the rock arms 36, the rod 41 and operating mechanism therefor will readily correspondingly change its angular position insuring smooth operation of the devices.

In operation, assuming that the ware to be annealed is rather small, the hand wheel 46 will be rotated in a direction to lower the partition to an elevation at which it is only slightly spaced above the ware passing therebeneath on the conveyor 16. With the partition arranged at this elevation, the most effective portions of the annealing medium are held in'the lower areas of theleer tunnel in contact with the ware. Thus, the necessity for heating the entire cross sectional area of the leer tunnel is avoided and according- .ly a material savingin fuel consumption is effected. In addition, by holding the most effective portions of the annealing medium in direct contact with the ware, more perfect annealing is obtained than in leers of ordinary construction. Obviously, by proper adjustment of the partition, equally satisfactory results are obtainable irrespective of the size or type of ware being annealed. By dividing the space above the partition into a series of individual chambers spaced longitudinally of the leer, rearward movement of heat in the front end of the space above the partition to the rear areas of said space is avoided. Ohviously, without these intermediate partitions, diiiiculty would be experienced in obtaining the desired temperature gradient, in that, as above stated, the heat at the forward end would move rearwardly and raise the temperature in the areas at the other end, whereas these back areas should be comparatively cool.

In Fig. 6, the horizontal partition plate 30 is shown provided with a series of apertur s 51 by which a greater or less degree of upward movement of the annealing medium into the upper chambers is permitted. Thus, the temperatures above and below the partition are substantially the same but rapid upward movement of the heating medium away from the ware is obviated.

Modifications may he resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims,

. lee

What I claim is:

1. In a glasswareannealing leer, an annealing chamber, a ware conveyor extending therethrough, a partition extending longitudinally and transversely of at least a portion of the chamber and spaced above the con-- veyor, a series of longitudinally spaced transverse rock shafts journalled in the side walls of the leer, rock arms interconnecting the shafts and partition, and means" to adjust the angular positions of-the rock arms and thereby correspondinglytchange the elevation "of the partition relative to the conveyor.

2. In a glassware annealing leer, an annealing chamber, a ware conveyor extending therethrough, a partition extending longitudinally and transversely of at least a portion of the chamber and spaced above the conveyor, a series of longitudinally spaced transverse rock shafts journalled in the side walls of the leer, rock arms interconnecting the shafts and partition, means to adjust the angular positions of the rock arms and thereby correspondingly change the elevation of the partition relative to the conveyor, and partition plates closing the space between transverse pairs of rock arms to dividethe area above the partition into a longitudlnal series ofchambers.

3. In a glassware annealing leer, anannealing chamber, a ware conveyor extendmg therethrough, a partition extending longitudinally and transversely of at least a portion of the chamber and spaced above the conveyor, a series of longitudinally spaced transverse rock shafts journalled in the side walls of the leer, rock arms interconnecting the shafts and partition, means to adjust the angular positions of the rock arms and thereby correspondingly change the elevation of the partition relative to the conveyor, interconnected rock arms secured to corresponding endsof the rock shafts'outside of the leer, and an ad]usting device operatively connected to one of the last named rock arms for imparting a rocking movement to all of said arms to thereby vary the spaced relation between the partition and conveyor.

4. In a glassware annealing leer, an annealing chamber,-a ware conveyor extending therethrough, a partition extending longitudinally and transversel of at least a portion of the chamber an ranged in the chamberabove the conveyor,

flexible sealing strips arranged along the longitudinal margins of the partition for contact with the side walls of the leer, means including a series of rock arms to efl'ect relative vertical adjustment between the conveyor and partition, and flexible sealing strips carried by said arms and contacting with the leer walls.

6. In a glassware annealing leer, an an nealing chamber, a ware conveyor extending therethrough, a horizontal partition ar-v ranged in the chamber above the conveyor,

the conveyor and partition, a series of longitudinally spaced-transverse rock shafts journalled in theside walls of the leer, rock arms supporting the partition from said rock sha s, transverse plates closing the ends of the space above the partition, and flexible sealing stri s on the outer margins of the rock arms aving wiping engagement with the side walls of the leer. i

7. In a glassware annealing leer, an annealing chamber, a ware conveyor extending therethrough, a horizontal partition arranged in the chamber above the conve or, flexible sealing strips arranged along the ongitudinal margins of the partition for contact with the side walls of the leer, means to effect relative vertical adjustment between the con veyor and partition, a series of longitudinally spaced transverse rock shafts journalled in the side walls of the leer, rock arms supporting the partition from said rock shafts, transverse plates closing the ends of the space above the partition, flexible sealing strips on the outer margins of the rock arms having wiping en agement with the side walls of the leer, and 'nge connection between the partition and the adjacent horizontal margins of said plates.

Signed at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, this 4th day of May,

BERT N. CRAMER. 

